Sanatan Dharma Row: 262 eminent citizens write to CJI against Udhayanidhi Stalin

New Delhi, September 5

More than 260 eminent citizens, including former judges and bureaucrats and armed forces’ veterans have urged Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud to take cognisance of DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin’s ‘hate speech’ likening ‘Sanatan Dharma’ to coronavirus, malaria and dengue and calling for its eradication.

‘It’s hate speech’

Signed by 262 people, including 14 retired judges, 130 former bureaucrats and 118 ex-armed forces officers, the letter states that they are deeply concerned over the remarks made by Stalin junior which undeniably amount to “hate speech” against a large population of India and strikes at the very core of the Constitution

“We urge the Supreme Court to take suo motu (on its own) notice of contempt, ensuring accountability for the inaction of the Government of Tamil Nadu, and take decisive steps to prevent the inducement of hate speech, preserving public order and peace and we request you to take immediate appropriate actions,” they said in a letter addressed to the CJI.

“We sincerely hope for the thoughtful consideration of our plea and implore immediate measures to ensure justice and rule of law to prevail,” stated the letter which referred to a Supreme Court order wherein it had asked the authorities to take action in cases of hate speech on its own without waiting for a complaint to be filed.

The signatories, including former Delhi HC judge SN Dhingra, former Punjab and Haryana HC judges Karam Chand Puri and SN Agrawal and former UP DGP Prakash Singh, said not only did Udhayanidhi Stalin make a hate speech but he also refused to apologise for it.

Even as a massive controversy erupted over his remarks, Udhayanidhi Stalin stuck to his guns and said he would continue to speak out against caste discrimination in all religions. Action was needed against the Tamil Nadu minister in order to preserve the secular character of the country, they said, adding any delay on the part of the administration in taking action on very serious issues will invite the court’s contempt.

The letter said the state government has refused to take action and acted in contempt of the court’s orders and “gravely undermined or rather made a mockery of the rule of law”.

The letter stated that the rule of law was undermined when the Tamil Nadu Government refused to take any action against Udhayanidhi Stalin and rather chose to justify his remarks.